arenavirus

Any of a family of single-stranded RNA viruses that cause chronic infections in rodents and when transmitted to humans cause various hemorrhagic diseases, including Lassa fever.

Origin of arenavirus

Latin arēnasand ; see arena . virus ( so called because when an arenavirus virion is viewed in cross section under an electron microscope, the ribosomes acquired from the host cell appear as fine granules )

arenavirus

Noun

(plural arenaviruses)

Any of several RNA viruses, of the genus Arenavirus, most of which cause severe diseases transmitted by rodents